Roundabout proposed to relieve DCCC traffic

Thursday

Mar 6, 2008 at 12:15 AMMar 6, 2008 at 3:17 PM

By SETH STRATTON The Dispatch

A new roundabout entrance proposed for the Davidson County Community College campus could help alleviate traffic jams without any direct costs to the county or the college.The N.C. Board of Transportation will consider a proposal at its meeting Thursday to widen part of Old Greensboro Road from two to three lanes - one lane in each direction and a right-turn lane into the campus - and build a roundabout at the intersection of the road with the DCCC campus entrance.The Davidson County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution last week in support of the roundabout project as required by law for any project costing more than $150,000.A description of the $1.1 million project proposes to use a combination of state transportation funds and private development money to pay for the improvements: $119,000 from a divisionwide small construction fund, $500,000 from a statewide contingency fund, $250,000 from a statewide economic development fund and $231,000 from the developer, Samet Corporation, headquartered in Greensboro.Samet plans to build a mixed-use office development across from the college's campus. In November, commissioners approved the rezoning of 11 acres off Old Greensboro Road from SST Development. While representing the developer, Jeremy Suits, of Samet, told commissioners the land is crucial to a proposed medical park.Larry Hamilton, director of construction and renovation, said the traffic has become a "pretty significant issue" as the number of students continues to increase. Hamilton estimates the worst traffic congestion occurs between 7:30 and 9 in the morning, at midday and in the evenings when students and faculty leave for the day.A proposed roundabout would allow a continuous flow of traffic around a circle about 125 feet in diameter, said J.P. Couch, N.C. DOT Division 9 traffic engineer. A roundabout allows motorists to yield instead of coming to a full stop. Couch said traffic backups have been extensive; both on Old Greensboro Road as motorists turn into campus and from northbound Interstate 85 Business Loop as drivers try to turn left onto Old Greensboro Road. Couch said that the lefthand turn lane on the highway has been lengthened several times.

The speed limit on Old Greensboro Road at the campus entrance is 45 mph, but Couch said the typical speed limit for cars entering a roundabout is between 20 and 25 mph. Several roundabouts have been added in other communities in the area including Lewisville and Clemmons, Hamilton said.DCCC has more than 16,500 students enrolled throughout its campuses and programs. Myra Thompson, the college's public information and marketing coordinator, estimated that more than 10,000 of those students attend class at the campus between Lexington and Thomasville.Like any new traffic pattern, a roundabout could take some time for drivers to get used to, Couch said, but he expects the road project could cut down on congestion and accidents on the growing college's campus. The traffic engineers said in the future, another entrance could be built on the college's back property near the law enforcement training facilities.Seth Stratton can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 226, or seth.stratton@the-dispatch.com.

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